Improvement in cases for turbine water-wheels



JACOB o. JOYOE, OE DAYTON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN CASES FOR TURBINE WATER-WHEELS. Y

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 105,808, dated July 26, 1870.

Be it known that I, J Aeon O. J oYoE, of the city of Dayton, iu the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cases for Turbine Water-Wheels. The following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which--` Figure 1 represents a vertical sectionV through the case; `Fig. 2, a horizontal section on a line, X X, of Fig. 1, showing the chutes open; Fig.- 3, a section of Fig. 2, with the chutes closed.`

Similar letters of reference in all of the iigures refer to like parts of the case.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in constructing the case for turbine Waterwheels in two parts, one stationary, Athe other revolving, each uniting in forming the chutes and gates, in which .the Water is introduced through spiral chutes with converging throats,

- to the buckets of the Wheel, and exposing the entire receiving-surface of the buckets to the direct' action of the impinging currents passinggin columns through converging chutes, preserving the same manner of delivery at full or any partial opening of the chutes, and

` avoiding swinging gates; second, in constructing the casein two such parts that the same tangential line of delivery of the columns of Water admitted to the wheel, in the manner above named, at full or any partial opening of chutes, the converging throats being the only part of the chute affected in regulating the amount of water used; third, in combining a stationary and revolving case, by means of an annular journal-bearing, with shouldered grooves turned upon the periphery of the crown ofthe inner case and upon the inner edge of the upper flange of the outer case, in such a manner that the bearings form a close friction-joint, while the corresponding parts of the two cases are kept from contact, but forming close joints, and giving an easy con'- trol of the revolving case.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference tothe drawing.

The case is composed of two parts, A and B, each cylindrical, A upon the outer and B upon the inner surface, preferably of iron, and cast in one piece.

The inside ease, A, is stationary, consisting of flange d, which is intended to rest on the bottom of the flume ory pen-stock supporting the case and wheel.

Adischarge-tube, h, is attached to the iian ge, and extends downward, cylindrical inshape, as seen in Fig. 1, and should be slightly larger in diameter than the wheel. y

A series of columns, arranged circularly on thev flange, a, a a, extend up to the crown-plate c. These guides are of the length corresponding to the depth of the wheel, and are of sufiicient distance apart to form between their faces converging throat of the chutes, from which they are drawn to an edge or point, terminating at their extreme inner ends,.so as to complete the` chutes, and to deliver the several columns of water upon the entire receiving-surface of the buckets, subjecting equally every part of the same to the impinging current, their outer faces being cylindrical, and'intended to form a joint with the inner faces, b b b, but without contact. The case can be easily fitted by lathe-work. These guides, with the corresponding parts of the guides of the case, 1);?) b, form the chutes E, Vand regulate the supply of Water passing through the chutes to the wheel. These guides are rigid, and cast or united to iange d at the bottom and plate c at the top.

Grown-plate c is a circular plate attached to the guides, and of the same diameter, and

forms the top or cover to the case, a shaft of the Wheel passing through the center of this plate, which may be drilled, and bearing made to support the same.

An angular shouldered groove,g, Fig. 1, is turned on the periphery of this crown-plate, to form the bearing on which to support and revolve case B.

Case B is composed of a series of spiralshaped columns, b b b, or guides, firmly attached at the top and bottom by flanges g and d', between-Which th ey are arranged circularly, and of the shape shown in Fig. 2.

The upper iiange has a shouldered groove, g', fitting into groove g, forming a bearing, which supports and holds the several relative portions of cases A and B in exact parallel position, without contact and friction, (save at the bearings,) forming close joints.

By means of an ordinary rack and pinion, stepped on the ilange of the crown c, the case B can be easily revolved backward or forward.

The inner faces of guides b b b are cylindrical, and made to conform to and form a close joint with guides or columns a o a. The cylindrical form of the flanges and guides of case B enables it to be easily fitted by ordinary lathe-work.

The revolving case B encompasses case A, supported and turned on the bearings g g', and when in the relative position shown in Fig. 2 forms a spiral chute-case. These chutes e e have converging throats at the Confluences of cases A and B, which, receiving the water in spiral direction, conducts through the chutes to the wheel. Experience has proved this form of chute, with the converging throat or point of issue,fas shown in Fig. 2, to be the best, and is formed by the junction of guides a a a with guides b b I).

It will be seen that the buckets of the wheels, which are intended to revolve just within the inner end of the guides a a a, are subjected in every part of their outer surface to the direct action of the impinging current of water.

No space should be allowed for the different columns of water to unite after leaving'the chutes and before delivery into the buckets. This impingin g current is always delivered in the same manner and with the same tangential line at full or any partial opening of chutes.

Case B revolves forward, and carries the inner end of guide b forward across the chute E or water-passage till it rests against the outer end of guide a, as seen in Fig. 3. When the chutes are completely closed a reverse movement opens the water passages or chutes and admits the water into the wheel.

To determine the respective width of case A and guides a, and of case B and guides b, the width of the chute E at the throat or point of issue is the unit of measure. The guides b must be of sufficient length on their inner faces to reach across the throat of the chute, and slightly lap on either end at guides a, as seen in Fig. 3.

It will be seen that the converging throats of the chutes conform toa curve, (called cena contracta) by the peculiar construction and combinat-ion of the cases, are the only parts of the chutes contracted, or materially changed in opening or closing the passages, preserving at all times the maximum power and tangential line of delivery proportionately uniform in the various stages of partial and full openings. 4

Bivoted guides or swinging gates, of the shape here described,have been before used, but not with the same success, while the surface delivery of the water to the wheel was the same as here shown. The direction of the impin gin g current, by the turning of the gates, is constantly changed, with a corresponding loss of power. The gates, besides being liable to break at their pivots, and thc number of joints causing increased friction, are more complicated and costly of construction.

To obviate these difficulties register-eases have been devised, which use rigid guides and chutes of the proper shape and desired angle, and have thin register-cases to slide back and forth or up and down the mouth of the chutes, to regulate the admission of water under the wheel. As this thin register-case is at nearly right angles with the impinging columns of water, and obstructs their passage through the chutes, causing eddies, and the cena. con tract@ shape of the chutes is practically lost. Illustrations of this class cases, by reference to former Letters Patent granted to me March 24, 1868, No. 75,765.

Cases constructed as described in this specication avoid the faults common to both pivoted and register gates, and possess the ad vantages common to both.

Another advantage, by my method of con struction, is derived by the shear-shaped guides a a. a and b b b. By revolving the case B in the reverse direction, when open, all obstruc tions that may be caught or lodged in the com verging throats of the chutes can be cut and elfectually cleared away. This reverse moved ment is also peculiar to this device.

What I claim as new, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The duplex chute-case of a turbine watera wheel made in two parts, A and B, one sta= tionary, the other rotary, the columns a a a of the inner case forming the inner end of the chutes diverging-from the throats formed by the columns a a a and b b b inward to the termination of the columns and chutes, the columns b b b of the outer case, B, forming the outer part of the chutes, converging from their outer edges to their contact with columns a a a, each of these chutes being tunnel-shaped, thereby subjecting the entire outer faces of the buckets of the wheel to the hydrostatic power of the impinging current of water through scroll chutes, and avoiding angular projections and swinging gates, all constructed and. arranged substantially as herein set forth.

2. The duplex case of A and B of a water-A wheel, when constructed so that the rotating, of the case B contracts or expands the size of' the throats or issues of the chutes only, thus= controlling the quantity of water admittedi onto the wheel, and preserving the same tangential line of delivery, and subjecting the entire outer periphery of the wheel to the acr tion of the water, the same at full or any par# tial opening of the chutes, constructed andi combined substantially as set forth.

3. The duplex case A and B, with the col umns a a a and b b b, forming converging and diverging chutes, when constructed with the annular journal-bearing g g on the periphery of the'crown` of case A and inner edge of the crown B, so that case B revolves on this an nular bearing, and brings the faces of columns c a w and b b b (Without material friction) in contact, the revolving of case B opening and closing the throats, all substantially as herein set forth.

4. Cases A and B, when combined in the manner substantially asshown, so as to enable case B to revolve backward over and past the chute in rear, and, by the shear contact of the guides a a a and b b b, to cut and clear away obstructions lodging inthe throat of the chutes.

JACOB O. JOYCE. Witnesses:

MIcHAEL WEAVER, W. H. BALDWIN.- 

